Tablet supplying and packaging apparatus

ABSTRACT

A tablet supplying and packaging apparatus comprises a controller, a cassette unit having a cassette rack and a plurality of tablet cassettes detachably mounted on the cassette rack in columns and rows, a turntable having a plurality of tablet containers, and a packaging unit disposed below the cassette unit and the turntable for packaging the tablets selectively released from said tablet cassettes and said tablet containers into a plurality of tablet paper bags by the controller.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a pharmaceutical automation system forsorting and packaging tablets. More particularly, the present inventionrelates to a tablet supplying and packaging apparatus that optimallycombines a cassette-based tablet supply system and a turntable-basedtablet supply system to substantially improve pharmaceutical efficiency.

[0002] A doctor's prescription generally requires one or more kinds oftablets for a type of disease. So the more types of illnesses includedin a prescription, the more kinds of different tablets a patient shouldtake for each dosage. The dosage may vary from once per day to three ormore times per day depending on seriousness and types of disease, or howmany different types of illnesses a patient suffers.

[0003] The cassette-based tablet supply system has difficulty inautomation favoring extra pills such as half-split pills andquarter-split pills. That is, such split pills have disadvantageouslystayed away from pharmaceutical automation. The alternative was aturntable-based tablet supply system that adopts manual tablet sortingand automatic tablet packaging mechanism. However, the turntable-basedsystem has limitations due to relatively small capacity.

[0004] Accordingly, there has been a strong demand for an optimalcombination of the cassette-based tablet supply system and theturntable-based system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Therefore, an object of the invention is to optimally combine acassette-based tablet supply system and a turntable-based tablet supplysystem.

[0006] Another object of the invention is to substantially improvepharmaceutical efficiency.

[0007] To achieve the above-described objects, a tablet supplying andpackaging apparatus according to the present invention comprises acontroller, a cassette unit, a turntable, and a packaging unit. Thecontroller controls an operation of the apparatus. The cassette unit isdefined by a width and a height and has a cassette rack and a pluralityof tablet cassettes detachably mounted on the cassette rack in columnsand rows. The tablet cassettes each release a predetermined amount oftablets therefrom in accordance with the controller.

[0008] The turntable has a center and a plurality of tablet containersdisposed around the center. Each tablet container is defined by sidewalls, a top opening and a bottom opening. Preferably, the turntable isdisposed lower in level than a lowermost row of the tablet cassettes andin front of the cassette unit so that one or more tablets manuallydistributed in at least one of said tablet containers are downwardlyreleased in accordance with the controller.

[0009] The packaging unit is disposed below the cassette unit and theturntable for packaging the tablets selectively released from the tabletcassettes and tablet containers into a plurality of tablet paper bags inaccordance with the controller.

[0010] For a better performance, the apparatus further comprises ahopper disposed between the packaging unit and both of the turntable andthe lowermost cassette row of the tablet cassettes to guide the tabletsfrom the turntable and the tablet cassettes to the packaging unit.

[0011] The controller comprises a monitor screen to input a prescriptioninformation and display the operation of the apparatus a prescriptionprocessing, and a processor to administer a tablet release of the tabletcassettes and the turntable, and a tablet packaging and externaldischarge of the packaging unit, in accordance with the prescriptioninformation input through the monitor screen. In a preferred version,the controller is wireless-accessed to enable a remote controlling.Here, the prescription information may be input to the monitor screenthrough internet.

[0012] The packaging unit comprises a printer to print the prescriptioninformation on a packaging paper, and a heating perforator to heatinglyseal the packaging paper into the tablet paper bags containing thetablets released from the turntable and the tablet cassettes, andsequentially perforate the tablet-containing paper bags for easydetachment of the tablet paper bags.

[0013] The advantages of the present invention are: (1) the tabletsupplying and packaging apparatus according to the present inventionrealizes both a massive tablet supply into each tablet cassette and apiece-by-piece tablet supply in the turntable within the apparatus,thereby enabling each discharged tablet bag to safely contain eitherwhole tablets or, for example, half-split pills, thus allowing a patientto conveniently intake the paper-bagged dosage at a single batch; (2)the apparatus enables an optimal combination of the turntable mechanismfor half-split or rarely demanded tablets and the cassette-basedmechanism for whole or frequently demanded tablets, therebysignificantly improving pharmaceutical efficiency and tablet managementsecurity and thusly customer reliability; and (3) the streamlined hybridapparatus of the turntable-based system and the cassette-based systemenables a drugstore to optimally utilize limited pharmaceutical space,thus improving cost efficiency and store productivity.

[0014] Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fullunderstanding of the invention can be obtained by the followingdrawings, detailed description and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

[0016]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a tablet supply and packagingapparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of FIG. 1;

[0018]FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of FIG. 2;

[0019]FIG. 4 is an exploded view detailing a turntable in FIG. 1;

[0020]FIG. 5 is a structural view detailing a mechanism in which tabletsare being dropped from turntable containers;

[0021]FIG. 6 is a partially cross-sectioned view of a tablet cassette inFIG. 1 to show a mechanism in which tablets are being dropped from thetablet cassette;

[0022]FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the operation of the tablet supplyingand packaging apparatus according to the present invention; and

[0023]FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation mechanism of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the tablet supplying and packaging apparatus10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present inventioncomprises a cassette unit 12, a turntable 14, and a controller 16controlling the operation of the apparatus 10. As further shown in FIG.2, the apparatus 10 further includes a packaging unit 18.

[0025] The cassette unit 12 is defined by a width and a height and has acassette rack 20 and a plurality of tablet cassettes 22 detachablymounted on the cassette rack 20 in columns and rows. The tabletcassettes 22 each release a predetermined amount of tablets therefromthrough a release hole 24 as shown in FIG. 3, in accordance with thecontroller 16. The release hole 24 serves to guide tablets 26 from thetablet cassette 22 down through a hopper 28 to the packaging unit 18. Ina preferred version, the tablet cassettes 22 are mounted on the cassetterack 20 in about 5 to 15 columns and about 5 6 1328. 09 to 10 rows. Themost preferred alignment for the tablet cassettes 22 is twelve columnsand seven rows.

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the turntable 14 has a center and aplurality of tablet containers 32 disposed around the center 30. Eachtablet container 32 is defined by side walls 34, a top opening 36 and abottom opening 38. Preferably, the turntable 14 is disposed lower inlevel than a lowermost row 40 of the tablet cassettes 22 and in front ofthe cassette unit 12 so that one or more tablets 27 manually distributedin at least one of the tablet containers 32 are downwardly released inaccordance with the controller 16.

[0027] The apparatus 10 also includes a platform 42 receiving theturntable 14 therein. The turntable 14 has a plurality of plates 44flexibly connected thereto. Each plate 44 is swingably connected by ahinge 48 to the tablet container 32. A support rail 46 provided in theplatform 42 flexibly supports the turntable 14 while being selectivelycovered by the plates 44 which correspond to the plurality of tabletcontainers 32 in number. Each plate 44 is hingedly engaged to a tabletcontainer portion 49 adjacent to the bottom opening 38 of each tabletcontainer 32 to releasably close the bottom opening 38 of each tabletcontainer 32. In this construction, one or more tablets 27 are eithermaintained in each tablet container 32 when the bottom opening 38 isclosed by the plate 44 or downwardly discharged when the plate 44 isreleased.

[0028] The support rail 46 is disposed beneath the bottom openings 38 ofthe tablet containers 32 in circular formation to uphold the plates 44.The support rail 46 has a release opening 50 formed either by a partialdisplacement or by a partial removal of the support rail 46. So when oneselected from the tablet containers 32 reaches over the release opening50 in accordance with an angular rotation of the turntable 14, the plate44 corresponding to the selected tablet container 32 is lowered throughthe release opening 50 so that the tablets 27 in the selected tabletcontainer 32 are downwardly released through the release opening 50.

[0029] The apparatus 10 also includes a vertical shaft 52 fixed to thecenter 30 of the turntable 14 to center the turntable 14. The verticalshaft 52 allows the turntable 14 to spin therearound to make the angularrotation of the turntable 14 in accordance with the controller 16. Here,the angular rotation of the turntable 14 may be either clockwise orcounter-clockwise. When the angular rotation is set clockwise, eachplate 44 is hinged to the left thereof. In a similar manner, when theangular rotation is set counter-clockwise, each plate 44 is hinged tothe right thereof.

[0030] In an embodiment, the turntable 14 further comprises a disk 54provided radially from the containers 32. A shaft cap 56 allows theturntable 14 including the disk 54 to stabilize on the shaft 52. Thedisk 54 may include a numbering system 58 so that the controller 16 candictate the angular rotation of the turntable 14 based on the numberingsystem 58.

[0031] The packaging unit 18 is disposed below the cassette unit 12 andthe turntable 14 for packaging the tablets 26, 27 selectively releasedfrom the tablet cassettes 22 and tablet containers 32 into a pluralityof tablet paper bags 60 in accordance with the controller 16.

[0032] As shown back in FIG. 3, the hopper 28 disposed between thepackaging unit 12 and both of the turntable 14 and the lowermostcassette row 40 of the tablet cassettes 22 to guide the tablets 26, 27from the turntable 14 and the tablet cassettes 22 to the packaging unit18. FIG. 6 shows the release mechanism of the tablets 26 from the tabletcassette 22 wherein the tablets 26 are released from the cassette 22into the through hole 24 by rotation of a rotor 70 powered by a motor 72that is controlled by the controller 16.

[0033] The controller 16 comprises a monitor screen 62 to input aprescription information and display operation of the apparatus 10, anda processor CPU to administer a tablet release of the tablet cassettes22 and the turntable 14. As shown in FIG. 7, the processor CPUadministers the release and packaging of the tablets 26, 27. Thetablet-packaged paper bags 60 are externally discharged from thepackaging unit 18, in accordance with the prescription information inputthrough the monitor screen 62. In a preferred version, the controller 16may be wireless-accessed to enable a remote controlling. For example,the prescription information may be input to the monitor screen 62through internet.

[0034] The packaging unit 18 comprises a printer 64 to print theprescription information on a packaging paper, and a heating perforator66 to heatingly seal the packaging paper 68 into the tablet paper bags60 containing the tablets 26, 27 released from the turntable 14 and thetablet cassettes 22, and sequentially perforate the tablet-containingpaper bags 60 for easy detachment of the tablet paper bags 60.

[0035]FIGS. 7 and 8 each illustrate the operational mechanism of thetablet supplying and packaging apparatus 10 according to the presentinvention. As shown therein, the prescription information may be inputthrough either the monitor screen 62 or internet. Then the controllerCPU administers the tablet cassettes 22 and the turntable 14 for tabletreleasing and packaging.

[0036] Further referring to FIG. 8, the pharmacist checks the filling oftablet cassettes 22 and fills a required amount of tablets in theturntable containers 32 depending on the prescription information (S1).If tablets 26 in cassettes are required then input cassette numbers (S2,S5). If the tablets 27 in the turntable containers 32 are required theninput the first and last container numbers (S3, S6). If both arerequired then input require cassette numbers, and the first and lastnumber of the turntable containers 32 (S3, S5). The tablet packaging andexternal release thereof are automatically completed by the packagingunit 18 (S7).

[0037] An advantage of the present invention is that the tabletsupplying and packaging apparatus 10 realizes both a massive tabletsupply into each tablet cassette and a piece-by-piece tablet supply inthe turntable within the apparatus, thereby enabling each dischargedtablet bag to safely contain either whole tablets or, for example,half-split pills, thus allowing a patient to conveniently intake thepaper-bagged dosage at a single batch.

[0038] Another advantage is that the apparatus 10 enables an optimalcombination of the turntable mechanism for half-split or rarely demandedtablets and the cassette-based mechanism for whole or frequentlydemanded tablets, thereby significantly improving pharmaceuticalefficiency and tablet management security and thusly customerreliability.

[0039] Further, the streamlined hybrid apparatus 10 of theturntable-based system and the cassette-based system enables a drugstoreto optimally utilize limited pharmaceutical space, thus improving costefficiency and store productivity.

[0040] Although the invention has been described in considerable detailwith reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions arepossible by converting the aforementioned construction. Therefore, thescope of the invention shall not be limited by the specificationspecified above and the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A tablet supplying and packaging apparatus,comprising: a) a controller controlling an operation of the apparatus;b) a cassette unit defined by a width and a height, wherein the cassetteunit has a cassette rack and a plurality of tablet cassettes detachablymounted on the cassette rack in columns and rows, wherein said tabletcassettes each release a predetermined amount of tablets therefrom inaccordance with the controller; c) a turntable having a center and aplurality of tablet containers disposed around the center, wherein saideach tablet container is defined by side walls, a top opening and abottom opening, wherein the turntable is disposed lower in level than alowermost row of the tablet cassettes and in front of the cassette unit,wherein one or more tablets manually distributed in at least one of saidtablet containers are downwardly released in accordance with thecontroller; and d) a packaging unit disposed below the cassette unit andthe turntable for packaging the tablets selectively released from saidtablet cassettes and said tablet containers into a plurality of tabletpaper bags in accordance with the controller.
 2. The apparatus of claim1 further comprising a hopper disposed between the packaging unit andboth of the turntable and the lowermost cassette row of the tabletcassettes to guide the tablets from the turntable and the tabletcassettes to the packaging unit.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein thecontroller is wireless-accessed to enable a remote controlling.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller comprises: a) a monitorscreen to input a prescription information and display the operation ofthe apparatus a prescription processing; b) a processor to administer atablet release of the tablet cassettes and the turntable, and a tabletpackaging and external discharge of the packaging unit, in accordancewith the prescription information input through the monitor screen. 5.The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the controller is wireless-accessed toenable a remote controlling.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein theprescription information is input to the monitor screen throughinternet.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the packaging unitcomprises: a) a printer to print the prescription information on apackaging paper; and b) a heating perforator to heatingly seal thepackaging paper into the tablet paper bags containing the tabletsreleased from the turntable and the tablet cassettes, and sequentiallyperforate the tablet-containing paper bags easy detachment of the tabletpaper bags.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the controller iswireless-accessed to enable a remote controlling.
 9. The apparatus ofclaim 7 wherein the prescription information is input to the monitorscreen through the internet.